Religious strife fuels Middle East proxy wars.

Muhammad died in 632 AD and his followers disagreed over the next Caliph (leader of Islam). Believers in a Muhammadan dynasty chose his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, who was eventually killed. Ali’s followers, feeling betrayed, separated from the majority (Sunnis) and called themselves, Party of Ali or Shiat Ali—thus the name Shiites (Time, September 16, 2009).  Now, the current Syrian war is fueling a proxy war between major Sunni and Shiite powers across the Middle East.

“A prominent Sunni Muslim cleric influential in the Syrian uprising has issued a fatwa, or religious decree, calling on Muslims around the world to help Syrian rebels… labeling Hezbollah and Iran, which support the Syrian government, enemies of Islam….”  And “... the mostly Sunni rebels battle a government backed by Shiite Iran and Hezbollah” (New York Times, June 1, 2013). Iraq is seeing a rise in Sunni versus Shiite violence, prompting many in Iraq to volunteer in the fight for Syria (New York Times, June 1, 2013).

Jesus warned that in the “last days” there would be “wars and rumors of wars” and “nation will rise against nation…” (Matthew 24:6-7). The Greek word for nation is “ethnos”—denoting a tribe or ethnic group. As we approach the end of the age, ethnic and religious strife will play a greater role in geopolitics. This will precede Christ’s return and the establishment of God’s true religion and government on the earth! 

For more information on this vital topic, read our booklet The Middle East in Prophecy.